The Indian Supreme Court has rightly felt the pain by the plight of mentally disabled Pakistani prisoners languishing in Indian jails for years. Justice R M Lodha was referring to 21 prisoners, 16 of whom are now mentally unsound and the other five are deaf and dumb. More painful is the fact that they have been kept imprisoned despite serving out of their sentences.
The court was justified to comment that such a humanitarian issue should be taken up during the highest level meetings between the two countries. Hundreds of ordinary people, farmers and fishermen of each country are facing the wrath of hatred while behind bars for visa violations, false espionage charges, entering other country’s waters for fishing or just crossing the unmarked/non-fenced border by mistake.
One shall presume that such issues which directly impact thousands of families across the border shall be on top agenda during Indo-Pak high profile meetings. But what a pity we always discuses the land disputes – Kashmir, Siachin, Sir Creek etc. Perhaps ordinary people are not that important for the top brass representing these two countries.
Anyhow, we should welcome Indian Supreme Court’s order to grant bail to 80-year-old Pakistani Virologist Dr Khaleel Chishti. It was a good gesture on the part of court after the 8 April Zardari-Manmohan meeting. Last year, Dr Chishti was given life sentence in a case which dragged on in Indian courts for 19 years. Hopefully the court will help his extradition to Pakistan as well.
Perhaps we are tuning a new page in our bitter history book.
MASOOD KHAN
Jubail, Saudi Arabia
